Toward a Research Agenda to Promote Household Access to Food in Ethiopia

The objective of this report is to review available evidence on the potential to promote access to food for vulnerable groups in Ethiopia through two main methods: food transfer programs, and appropriate policies influencing the food marketing system. These issues are examined with a view to identifying priority issues for analysis under the MEDAC/MSU/USAID Food Security Project in Ethiopia. In particular, the report presents trends in food aid and food production in Ethiopia, and provides preliminary evidence of the possible disincentive effects of food aid on agricultural production incentives and investments in the food marketing system; discusses the costs and benefits of various food aid transfer programs, and highlights major unresolved issues requiring further analysis to guide Ethiopian policy makers' decisions on strategies to promote household food security; presents a set of "guiding principles" to minimize the trade-offs between meeting vulnerable groups' immediate food needs and promoting agricultural productivity growth over the long run; and identifies important unresolved issues for further analysis, in order to guide Ethiopian policy makers' decisions on ensuring household access to food through an appropriate mix of market and transfer mechanisms.food security, food policy, Ethiopia, food aid, food production, Food Security and Poverty, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q18,

Food Aid Targeting in Ethiopia: A Study of Household Food Insecurity and Food Aid Distributions

This paper examines the efficiency of food aid targeting in rural Ethiopia based on empirical evidence from a survey of a nationally representative sample of 4,166 farm households conducted by the Grain Market Research Project (GMRP) of MEDAC in collaboration with the Central Statistical Authority (CSA). The survey was administered in June 1995 and covered the 12-month period from the beginning of the 1995 meher harvest to the beginning of the 1996 meher harvest.food security, food policy, Ethiopia, food aid, Food Security and Poverty, Q18,

Improving Information and Performance in Grain Marketing: an Assessment of Current Market Information Systems, and Recommendations for Developing a Public Grain MIS

This paper focuses on one dimension which is at the core of all modern economies: how to provide private and public agents with timely and accurate information regarding current and expected future market conditions. Its objective is to show the need for a public market information system for agricultural markets in Ethiopia, and to present concrete proposals that can be reviewed, debated, and modified as necessary by the relevant Ethiopian authorities in collaboration with Food Security Research Project (FSRP) personnel.food security, food policy, Crop Production/Industries, Marketing, Q18,

Targeting Of Food Aid in Rural Ethiopia: Chronic Need or Inertia?

This paper identifies the factors driving the allocations of food aid in Ethiopia. We determine both how food aid is allocated across rural regions, reflecting the targeting criteria of the federal government, as well as how aid is allocated within regions, reflecting the decisions of local authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Devising a measure of "need" is difficult and controversial and there is no consensus on how to do so. It is agreed by most analysts that income is an imperfect measure of need, yet it is arguably the best single indicator of need in the absence of more detailed anthropometric information. Econometric analysis is used to examine the degree to which food aid is targeted according to pre-aid per capita household income, as well as to other factors. The paper also identifies factors associated with low incomes at regional- and household-levels, in order to be helpful to donors, NGOs and governments in their efforts to improve the targeting of food aid. Data are drawn from the Food Security Survey (FSS), fielded on a subset of the 1995/96 Annual Agricultural Sample Survey by the Ethiopian Central Statistical Authority. The data covers 4,112 households in 348 weredas. To examine the validity of the data, we calculated the amount of food aid received at the regional level from the FSS sample households and compared these results with actual food aid distribution records of the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC). The results showed striking similarities, and provide a robust external test of validity of the FSS and CSA data sets (Clay, Molla, and Debebe 1998).Food Security and Poverty, Downloads May 2008-July 2009: 32,

Designing Strategies to Support a Transformation of Agriculture in Ethiopia

The paper consists of three parts. The first part of the paper is a review of agricultural performance in Ethiopia over the past forty years. The second part diagnoses agricultural system performance and food security problems in Ethiopia and discusses some tentative practical strategies for promoting an agricultural transformation, and with it, increased productivity, income growth, and food security over the long run. The third part describes the general approach to promoting an agricultural transformation and food security for Ethiopia. It is conceptual and procedural. It draws from the lessons of economic history and theory applied to the current situation in Ethiopia.food security, food policy, Ethiopia, Farm Management, Food Security and Poverty, Q18,

Bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of neonatal sepsis in Felege-Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, northwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study design

AbstractBackground: Neonatal sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when host and pathogen interaction leads to organ/tissue damage. Determining the bacterial profile and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and associated factors, in certain geographic regions is vital for rapid empirical medical decisions.Objective: To assess the bacterial profile, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and factors associated with neonatal sepsis, in Felege-Hiwot Referral Hospital, Ethiopia.Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2018 to July 2018. A total of 412 neonates were included in the study. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire. About 2ml of blood sample was withdrawn from each participant, and processed for bacterial identification and susceptibility testing, following 2017 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. Logistic regressions were used to determine the association between independent variables and dependent variables in relation to bacterial profiles and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals, were calculated, and the results were considered statistically significant at a p-value less than 0.05.Results: Of the 412 neonates who were enrolled, 41.3% (170/412) were positive for blood culture. Klebsiella pneumoniae, 28.2% (48/170) was the predominant isolate, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, 24.7% (42/170). The majority of the isolates developed resistance to ampicillin and penicillin. The overall proportion of multidrug resistance was 78.2% (133/170). Preterm (<37 weeks) [AOR = 2.049; 95% CI: 1.151, 3.647], low birth weight (<2,500gm) [AOR = 2.357; 95% CI: 1.352, 4.109], prolonged rupture of membrane (≥18 hours) [AOR = 4.282; 95% CIL: 1.615, 11.354], and caesarean section modes of delivery [AOR = 2.826; 95% CI: 1.618, 4.936] showed statistical association with bacteriologically confirmed neonatal sepsis.Conclusions: The majority (78.2%) of presumptive neonatal sepsis cases tested positive for blood culture. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were the leading isolates recovered from neonatal sepsis cases. Most of the bacterial isolates from NS cases were resistant to multiple classes of antibiotic. Auspiciously, majority of these isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin; as such this replication inhibitor antibiotic could be a choice of physicians for empirical treatment decision. Since it is a single facility based study, further study is recommended. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2021; 35(1):18-28]Key words: Bacteria; neonate; early-onset neonatal sepsis; late-onset neonatal sepsi

Assessment of core teaching competency of health professional educators in Ethiopia:an institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Understanding the competency of educators is key to informing faculty development, recruitment and performance monitoring. This study aimed to assess the core teaching competency of nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators, and associated factors in Ethiopia. DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2020 using structured tools adapted from the WHO’s nurse and midwifery educator competency frameworks. SETTING: Two health science colleges and nine student practice sites in Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: All classroom instructors and clinical preceptors of nursing, midwifery and biomedical technician training programmes, and all the graduating class students. MEASURES: Overall teaching competency scores, teaching domain competency scores, competency gaps and performance gaps of educators were outcome measures. Past training on teaching skills courses, teaching experiences and sociodemographic characteristics of educators are associated factors. RESULTS: Most educators were not trained in teaching methods (82%). The teaching competency scores of classroom instructors and clinical preceptors were 61.1% and 52.5%, respectively. Competency gaps were found in using active learning methods, performance assessment, feedback and digital learning. Professional background of classroom instructors had a significant and strong association with their competency score (p=0.004; V=0.507). Age and teaching experience of clinical preceptors had significant associations with their competency score (p=0.023 and p=0.007, respectively) and had strong associations (V=0.280 and 0.323, respectively). Sex of students and their perceptions of how well the educators give education resources had a significant and strong association (p<0.001; V=0.429). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators lacked the competency to undertake important teaching roles, which could contribute to the low quality of education. More attention should be given to strengthening faculty development

Moving the Needle: Changing the Culture Around Professionalism For Faculty As Evaluated by Medical Students

Moving the needle: Changing the culture around professionalism for faculty as evaluated by medical students Rationale Professionalism is an integral aspect of physician growth and development and a core competency in medical education. Clinical experiences and faculty role models are the most powerful determinants of professional behaviors and values in the practice of medicine.1,2 Yet, with significantly greater stress placed on clinical faculty in the last 25 years, there has been increasing concern over an erosion of the attitudes and behaviors of practicing physicians and the resulting negative impact on the professional development of medical students and resident physicians3. Given its importance, faculty professionalism is assessed annually in the American Association of Medical Colleges graduate questionnaire (AAMC GQ) survey of fourth year medical students, providing medical education leaders with data on their performance compared to medical schools nationally, as well as year-over-year trends.. Many schools struggle with faculty professionalism data that is reported through the GQ and their students’ perception of a poorly perceived professional clinical environment. The three schools presenting at this session have received low learning environment scores at different times and have employed interventions to change the culture at their institutions, with varying success, to address the underlying root causes. In this session, we will discuss overall challenges of addressing the learning environment and faculty professionalism. After that, each student will report its GQ data, root causes identified, and interventions to address those root causes. After the presentations, participants will break out into small groups and, using a structured guide, review data from their own schools as well as interventions that have been tried to address those issues. Participants will come together at the end for a facilitated discussion to summarize their conversations and discuss ideas and opportunities to bring to their home institution to improve the learning environment. Learning Objectives • Review the quality improvement approach and interventions that have been shown to be effective at improving professionalism at UC Davis, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego • Develop a list of high-impact interventions that can be utilized to improve professionalism in the learning environment at your institution • Describe your approach to implementation of interventions unique to your institutionand ways in which these incidents can be shared with the broader educational community Session Plan • 10 minutes: Describe why changing professionalism outcomes is a “wicked problem” • 24 minutes: Review the approach and adoption of interventions at UC Davis, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego where these institutions have strived to improve culture of professionalism (8 mins each) • 30 minutes: Breakout sessions where participants discuss professionalism challenges at their home institutions and brainstorm interventions to improve their culture. • 25 minutes: Plenary group discussion to identify consensus approaches and opportunities to enact culture change Products/materials • PPT Experience • Mithu Molla MD – Director of the Learning Environment, Co-Chair Learning Climate Committee, UCD SOM • Sharad Jain MD – Associate Dean for Students, Co-Chair Learning Climate Committee, UCD SOM • Mark Servis MD – Vice Dean for Medical Education, UCD SOM • Christina Granillo, PhD - Director of Academic Success, Chair of the Grievance Committee and co-Chair of our Learning Environment Council • Michelle Daniel, MD, MHPE, FACEP - Vice Dean for Medical Education, Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine UC San Diego SOM • Emma M Simmons MD, MPH – Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs, UC Riverside SOM Bibliography 1- Orit Karnieli-Miller, PhD, et al. Medical Students’ Professionalism Narratives: A Window on the Informal and Hidden Curriculum. Academic Medicine, Vol 85, No.1/January 2010 2- Inui TS, et al. A Flag in the Wind: Educating for Professionalism in Medicine. Washington DC: Association of American Medical Colleges; 2003. 3- Swick H, et al. Teaching Professionalism in Undergraduate Medical Education. JAMA, September 1, 1999- Vol 282, No.9 4- Binder R, et al. Preventing and Managing Unprofessionalism in Medical School Faculties. Acad Med. 2015;90:442-446

Evaluation of NPSZn Blended Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Traits of Bread Wheat (Tritcum aestivum L.) on Cambisols and Vertisols in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia

አህፅሮት &nbsp;የግብርና ምርትና ምርታማነት ለማሳደግ የተለያዩ ዓይነት ምጥን ማዳበርያዎች፣ ዳፕ እና ዩርያን በመተካት ወደ ሃገራችን &nbsp;ለሙከራ የገቡት በቅርቡ ነው፤ NPSZn ምጥን ማዳበርያም አንዱ ነው፡፡ የተለያየ መጠን NPSZn (0፣ 50፣ 100፣ 150፣ 200፣ 250፣ 300 ኪ.ግ በሄክታር) እና የተለመደው ዩርያና ዳፕ ማዳበርያ እንደ መወዳደርያነት በማካታት በራንደማይዝድ ኮምፕሊት ብሎክ ዲዛይን (RCBD) በሶስት ድግግሞሽ በ2009ዓ.ም እና 2010ዓ.ም በትግራይ በኦፍላ እና እምባ አላጀ ወረዳዎች ተሞክሯል፡፡ የቅድመ ተከላ የአፈር ናሙና እንደሚያመለክተው የናይትሮጅን መጠን በአብዛኛው የምርምር ሳይቶች ዝቅተኛ ሲሆን የፎስፎረስ መጠን ደግሞ መካከለኛ ነበር፡፡ በተለያየ የምርት መለኪያ መንገዶች እና በኢኮኖሚያዊ አዋጭነት መሰረት 200ኪ.ግ NPSZn ምጥን ማዳበርያ ከ62 ኪ.ግ ዩርያ በኦፍላ እንዲሁም 100ኪ.ግ NPSZn ምጥን ማዳበርያ ከ100ኪ.ግ ዩርያ በእምባ አላጀ ከሌሎች የማዳበርያ መጠኖች በተሻለ በስንዴ ምርት ላይ የተሻሉ እንደሆኑ ተረጋግጧል፡፡ &nbsp; Abstract A field experiment was carried out in 2017 and 2018 main cropping seasons in Ofla and Emba Alaje Woredas in Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia. The experiment has seven levels of NPSZn (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, kg ha-1) adjusted for N from urea to the recommended N level (64 kg N ha-1) and the recommended P fertilizers (46 kg P2O5 ha-1). The treatments were also arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and executed on two farmers' fields. Soil samples were collected before planting and analyzed for selected physicochemical properties. As a result, the application of different rates of NPSZn blended fertilizer significantly influenced the yield and yield components of wheat at both sites. At Ofla, the highest grain and straw yields were obtained from plots that received 200 kg NPSZn ha-1 . At Emba Alaje, the highest grain and straw yields were harvested from the application of 200 kg NPSZn ha-1 and 100 kg NPSZn ha-1, respectively. Application of Zn in the blended fertilizer had no significant effect on grain Zn concentration of bread wheat at both sites. Partial budget analysis revealed that the optimum marginal rate of return was 22.25ETB and 16.06ETB at Emba Alaje and Ofla, respectively. Both biological and economic analysis showed that applications of 200kg NPSZn with 28.6 kg N (62 kg urea) at Ofla and 100 kg NPSZn with 46 kg N (100 kg urea) at Emba Alaje were optimum for wheat production and these rates could be recommended for areas where the rainfall distribution and soil types are similar with the study locations. Further study should be done on the effects of NPSZn on grain quality and a single nutrient-based experiment should be carried out to evaluate the effect of each nutrient in the blended fertilizer for crop production. &nbsp

Chronic Kidney Disease and Associated Risk Factors Assessment among Diabetes Mellitus Patients at A Tertiary Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease, particularly in diabetic patients, is increasing rapidly throughout the world. Nowadays, many individuals in developing nations are suffering from diabetes which is one of the primary risk factors of chronic kidney disease.METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Hospital from February to April 2016. A total of 229 study participants were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Urine sample was collected for albumin determination by dipstick. The Simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation was used to estimate glomerular filtration rate. Binary logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors.RESULTS: Of the total 229 study participants, 50.2% were females and the mean age was 47±15.7 years. Among study participants, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was found to be 21.8% (95% CI: 16% - 27%). Of all study participants, 9(3.9%) had renal impairment (eGFR &lt; 60 ml/min/ 1.73 m2) and 46 (20.1%) had albuminuria. Older age (AOR: 5.239, 95% CI: 2.255-12.175), systolic blood pressure ≥140mmHg (AOR: 3.633, 95% CI: 1.597-8.265), type 2 diabetes mellitus (AOR: 3.751, 95% CI: 1.507-9.336) and longer duration of diabetes (AOR: 3.380, 95% CI: 1.393-8.197) were independent risk factors of CKD.CONCLUSIONS: The study identified high prevalence (21.8%) of CKD among diabetic adults. CKD was significantly associated with older age, systolic blood pressure, type 2 DM and longer duration of DM. Thus, DM patients should be diagnosed for chronic kidney disease and then managed accordingly.